Fallout: A post nuclear story
by wakkathewarrior
Summary: A young man is decided by his vault to venture into the wasteland to claim a water chip for the vaults survival. He ventures out despite his inexperience, for the good of the vault!
1. Chapter 1: The Vault

Chapter 1: The Water Chip

A loud ringing filled the room, soon followed by the smell of smoke and a loud tink. The room echoed for a moment until the sounds were interrupted by the sounds of a speaker "You missed, aim again take another shot.". The speaker's words fizzled out as the hundred year old technology attempted to keep up with the long periods of use. A young man reloaded his pistol with a secondary clip on his belt, with a sigh he took aim again at a target against the wall. Memories of a robotic voice filled his head, "Jack Dundaman has been selected to find the water chip for vault 13.". He fired at the target, his hands still worn and weary from the many shots before. Hours passed in that room of reprimands for missed shots, and a steady pile of used bullets hit the ground. The memories of outrage raging throughout the vault followed by himself as his parents argued with the overseer were all the young man could think of the pass the time. Another reload, another shot. Bullet after bullet hit the wall. "According to the vault tec rules, your son is an adult. He has to follow the same rules as any adult within the vault. He will search for a water chip as has been determined by the vault computing system.". Hours passed as more and more shots hit and missed its target until eventually the speaker still filled with small amounts of static spoke "That's enough, report to the overseer then prepare to face the wasteland.".

Jack exited the training room, his arms still sore from firing the pistol given to him. Along with a small knife it would be all he had to protect himself in the dangers of the wasteland. He placed the pistol in a holster at his belt and spent a few minutes making sure he could get the weapon out quickly in an emergency situation. He walked down the halls of his home, vault 13 ignoring the whispers of the residents he passed by until he arrived at the overseers office. The old overseer's calm smile filled his gaze. His white beard and wrinkled face showed many years of experience. "Ah you're here good, so you know what your mission entails?". Jack nodded "I have to find a replacement water chip right? Then bring it back here?". The old man nodded and followed his words. "Yes, the computers estimate the vault has about 150 days until our rations run out, we may be able to last a while longer but I believe it best you return within that time.". The elderly overseer picked up a small device from a nearby table and handed it to Jack. "This is a pip-boy 2000 this device will tell you how long you have as well as keep track for things along the way, it's small enough to fit in your pocket too.". Jack took the device and examined it, a small cartoon man in a vault suit similar to him stood in the corner giving a thumbs up. Jack tested the different buttons and when he was satisfied put the device in his pocket.

The overseer took a few steps closer to the boy and put his hands on his shoulders. "Listen, I know you're trying to hide that you are scared, but know that I wouldn't have authorized you to go out if I didn't believe you could do this. You're an adult now, and no matter what anyone in this vault says your parents included, you are more than capable to do this.". Jack looked towards the floor and tried to give a smile in response to the overseer's words, but in truth he was still horrified. From a young age all he heard about the outside of his vault was how dangerous it was, how anyone who wants to leave vault 13 is accepting their own deaths. No amount of pistol training or kind words was going to change the simple fact that Jack was young, he had only just became 16 a few weeks ago. When the vault computer decided he would be the one to exit the vault he had already accepted that he was going to die. His thoughts were interrupted by the overseer's words, "Did you already say your goodbyes to your family?" Jack nodded raising his head back up to look at the overseers face. "Alright good, then it's time for you to begin your journey. For the good of the vault.".


	2. Chapter 2: The wasteland

Chapter 2: The wasteland

"A few more things before you make your way out. Under no circumstance are you to reveal the vaults location to anyone on the surface. We are also giving you some stimpacks.". Jack turned his head towards the overseer, "what's a stimpack?". "A small instant medicine, simply inject it wherever you're hurt and it will heal light wounds immediately, take larger doses for greater injuries.". The overseer passed a small pouch filled with small syringes to Jack as he spoke. "Remember to keep a good stock of water for your canteen as well. Oh! One last thing, there's an old vault to the east of here according to the old maps, vault 15 might be a good place to start.".

Jack and the Elderly Overseer arrived at the large thick metal door separating them from the vast unknown wasteland. The Overseer gave Jack a pat on the back, "Good luck out there, get back real soon.". The loud alarm blared throughout the room and into the vault entrance signifying that the door would be opened. As the heavy metal door with a large thirteen on it moved to the side, Jack took a deep breath. He stepped hesitantly through the door his legs nervously shaking with each step. The metal grating at his feet squealed as he walked over it until suddenly, silence.

The vault door closed behind Jack, all that lie in front of him was a dark cave. He looked around in front of him unwilling to move his legs. The dark cave was unnatural to someone who had electric lighting his entire life, he continued to observe the room. That was when he saw it. A skeleton right next to him outside the door, on its body was a jumpsuit bearing a 13 on his back. Jack remembered the words of the vault 13 computer "The previous chosen's pip boy has gone offline.". This man… or woman was a fellow vault resident like him, they only just made it out of the door. Jack immediately turned around back at the metal door to vault 13 and slammed on it with his fist. He screamed at the console to the side of the door, "let me back in let me back in!". The intercom on the console sprung to life, "Uhh can't do that, we are um… experiencing some issues.".

Jack recoiled in horror, was he going to die out here? Was he going to be another skeleton picked off in the wasteland. That's when he heard a squeak. Jack turned back where he heard the sound, and breathed a sigh of relief when it was just a lone rat. "Oh thank God, it's just a rat.". A small vermin but no real threat even to him.

He began to look over the skeleton, it looked old no flesh remained on it. Jack bent over and looked at his jumpsuit, torn and beaten. He did notice a knife on his bet similar to his and a small ammo package next to it. "Um… I'm really sorry about this.". Jack couldn't believe he was going to loot a fellow vault dweller, but he needed everything he could. He took the ammo and poured it into his own pouch and took the other knife and placed it on his belt.

The squeaking got louder, Jack turned and saw two more rats standing next to the first. Jack confused looked back at the skeleton. No other pieces of gear remained on the man besides a beaten jumpsuit. The squeaking got even louder still as more rats joined the pack. Jack looked closer at the skeleton to try to figure out how the man died. He saw small cuts on the suit but none looked deep enough to have been a knife or even a makeshift spear. He looked closer at the bones itself. Small notches were all over it with some nasty ones on the neck. They almost looked like small bite marks. Bite marks, that's strange, the vault would know if any type of carnivorous creature was outside. They were too small to be any large animal but there were a lot of them. Wait… small bite marks?

Jack's eyes widened as he looked back to the rat, 5 more had joined the original 3 as they all squeaked and hissed in unison. He got up right as they all charged him. Jack reached with his right hand for his pistol at his hip. He had realized now that the skeleton wasn't bare because it was old, but because the rats had eaten him alive. He shot at one of the rats a few feet away from him out of desperation. A loud ring filled the cave and echoed throughout. Jack's hand recoiled, he had not fired the gun properly, and the pistol had fallen to the floor.

Jack turned his gaze to the rats charging at him, not one of them had turn and ran and he missed his target. A rat jumped at him and had ripped into his vault suit biting and scraping Jacks leg. Jack cried in pain as he took the knife off his belt and sloppily slashed at the small herd of rats in front of him. Bites and scrapes covered Jack's legs as the rats feasted away at his flesh. Jack's desperate swings did little to stop them. Pain filling his legs Jack kicked his leg forward. A rat that was latched to his leg flew through the cave and smacked into the wall harshly. The rat fell a few moments later dead.

The other rats seeing it's dead brethren skurried away. Only one rat remained, a large one with mangled fur. It's size and large teeth displayed clear signs of mutation. Jack raised his knife in an attempt to intimidate the creature, but the rat could see right through his worried stance and bloodied legs and leaped for Jack's neck. Blood oozed out of the young mans neck as rotten teeth cut through the skin. Jack screamed and replying with animal instinct stabbed with his knife where he assumed the rat was on his neck. The pain continued, but the rat stopped.

Jack fell to the floor, blood rushing out of his neck, the rat must have bitten into a crucial part. Jack closed his eyes and cried knowing his life was at his end. He spoke to himself as a final comfort, "I'm sorry everyone, I'm sorry.".

"Wait… the… the stimpacks.". Jack's vision blurred as more blood came from his neck. Jack detached the stimpack case. The care fell to the cave floor in front of where Jack was lying. Jack groggily opened the case and reached inside for a syringe. "A-a-apply to…". Jack pulled a syringe filled with red liquid out of the case and gazed at it with blurry eyes. Jack closed his eyes and slammed the stimpack into his neck and pushed the syringe in.

Jack's vision restored and he stood up and counted his remaining stimpacks. 4 more remained. He sighed and made his way through the cave until he saw light at the end of the tunnel.

This was the first time Jack saw sunlight, and the vast dessert was all that was before him. He felt warm, scared, and a small bit excited. He stepped forth into the unknown. He had to survive, he would survive.


End file.
